On topic drift: Midwifery & Childbirth

[matgb]

Hmm, a throwaway episode rec from me, an aside comment from frightened, a strongly stated dislike of an episode from el_staplador and before long we're discussing the medicalisation of childbirth and the denigration of midwifery. Um, I don't know much about this. And as most that know me know, if I don't know much, I don't have strong opinions; us filthy liberals like to have knowledge to guide our opinions.

So, um, those of you that do have opinions, one way or the other (or in other directions, naturally), feel free to join the conversation, because I'm learning stuff, even if much of it is a little beyond me.

A question for the discussion though; does the thought of childbirth scare me because a) I'm a cowardly male, b) it's the unknown that I've little knowledge of due to our fractured society or c) medical portrayal on TV makes it out to be something that is scarier than it probably ought to be portrayed?

Because I genuinely don't know. I do know that a few people I care about have gone through it recently, and it wasn't easy for any of them. Hmm...